Harry Potter and the Torch of Light
by Snuffles x
Summary: Harry Potter is about to start his sixth year at Hogwarts when a very unexpected someone shows up on his doorstep giving him warnings and asking him for help...
1. The Unexpected Visitor

Summary: Harry Potter is about to start is sixth year at Hogwarts when a very unexpected someone shows up on his doorstep giving him warnings and asking him for help...  
  
A/N: This is my first fic, so I'm sorry if it's horrible. All reviews are welcomed, but don't be too hard on me. :) Enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. Harry Potter characters and things belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and some other companies I don't know the names of. The only things I own are the plot and anyone or anything or anyplace I make up.  
  
Harry Potter and the Torch of Light  
Chapter One – The Unexpected Visitor  
  
There wasn't much excitement going on around Privet Drive. Toddlers were chasing each other bare-foot on the grass, men were mowing their lawns until each blade of grass was perfect, and women were chatting away with their neighbors or fixing the gardens. Harry Potter sat on a garden wall just outside of Number 4, and absent-mindedly pulled petals off of dandelions that were growing near where he was sitting.  
  
Harry let out a small sigh, and took a deep breath of the mild breeze that was blowing through the trees. He threw aside the dandelion stem and lay down on his back. There were too many empty spaces in his heart now. No mother, no father, no godfather. His only remaining relatives were the Dursleys, but he had never considered them his family.  
  
He didn't know how long he had been lying there on the garden wall, but when there was no sign of children screaming he decided it was the right time to go in and get washed up for dinner. When Harry walked into the living room, he could hear angry voices coming from the kitchen. He creped over to the closed kitchen door and quietly listen to what all the commotion was.  
  
"Petunia, I do not trust him!"  
  
"It's only for a few days, Vernon! What could he possibly do?"  
  
"He's almost sixteen and you know about his abnormality!"  
  
"He can't use magic outside of school or he will be expelled, and I doubt he would want to leave school!"  
  
Harry was shocked. Aunt Petunia had just said 'magic' when she had forbid him to use that word under her roof. Eager to hear more, he moved closer to the door.  
  
"Do not use that word! Someone could hear."  
  
"Vernon, all I'm saying is Harry won't blow up the house while we're gone. It's only three days."  
  
"All right, all right, he can stay here. But if he does anything to this house, I will lock him in his room until he has to go back to that school of his."  
  
When Harry heard chairs being moved across the kitchen floor and footsteps he hurried over to the stairs and into his room. He sat down on his bed and the thought of being home without the Dursleys for three whole days raised his spirits slightly. It wasn't as good as getting away from Privet Drive completely, but at least he would still be away from the Dursleys.  
  
There was a small knock on his door, so he got up and turned the doorknob. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon stepped into his bedroom and looked around the room for a moment. Uncle Vernon cleared his throat.  
  
"Petunia, Dudley, and I are going away for a few days to visit Marge. We are allowing you to stay here, but if there is anything wrong with the house and we find out you've been doing any funny business when we return, you will be locked up in your room for the rest of the summer." Uncle Vernon glared at him.  
  
"All right, I promise I won't do anything." Harry answered, glaring right back at him.  
  
"Okay, well we're leaving in an hour because I'd rather travel at night, and we'll be back in three days, maybe more. There's enough food in the house for you to cook meals and such until we get home."  
  
Harry nodded and he closed the door as they left, letting out a silent whoop while going over to his trunk. He searched through his trunk for parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink. When he found everything he went over to his desk to write a letters to Ron and Hermione. Just as Harry unscrewed the cap to the bottle of ink, he heard a /i sound and looked over at his window and saw Hedwig fly in with two letters attached to her leg.  
  
He smiled slightly and untied the letters from her leg and sat down on his bed to read them. Harry recognized the first one as Ron's untidy scrawl and opened it first:  
  
Harry,  
  
Hey, mate, how's your summer going so far? Still doing all right? I hope so. Mum and dad said you can come to the Burrow in about a week. They asked Dumbledore why you couldn't just come home with us right after we got off the train, but he said you needed to stay with the Muggles for a little while. Dad says he has his reasons.  
  
Listen, I feel really bad about what happened in the Department of Mysteries, and I don't want you beating yourself up for it. It wasn't your fault, Harry, and if you want me to help you murder Bellatrix Lestrange, just ask. I'm sure Neville would also volunteer to help you as well.  
  
Anyway, I've sent you a pouch of Floo powder and dad connected the Muggles' fireplace to the Floo Network incase you want to go to Diagon Alley or the Burrow. Ginny and I persuaded Dumbledore to let him connect it and it took about two weeks, but it was worth it. We don't want you to go mad with those Muggles and end up killing yourself with a quill and wind up having to share a toilet with Moaning Myrtle.  
  
Well, write me back and maybe we can meet up in Diagon Alley later on this week.  
  
-Ron  
  
Harry reached into the envelope and pulled out a purple pouch full of Floo powder. It wasn't his favorite way to travel, but he was glad he'd get the chance to go to Diagon Alley while the Dursleys were away. He put the letter and pouch aside and looked at the second letter Hedwig had brought. It was from Hermione.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
How are you? How's your summer? I hope you're well and that you're enjoying the holidays. Mine is going nicely, and I've already finished all of my homework. Have you done any of yours yet? I know Ron hasn't started his; it's so obvious I don't even need to ask.  
  
Harry, I want you to know that it wasn't your fault that Sirius passed away. He would've wanted to die fighting, and he was fighting to protect you. Sirius cared about you very much, and I know that wherever he is, he's proud that he fought for what he believed in. I do hope you're not having a hard time because of all of this.  
  
On a happier note, can you meet Ron and me at Diagon Alley on Wednesday? Write back as soon as you can with an answer.  
  
Love, Hermione  
  
He let out a sigh and walked over to his desk to respond to their letters. No matter what anyone said to him, he couldn't stop believing it was his fault Sirius wasn't alive anymore. If he hadn't assumed his dream was reality, Sirius would still be alive.  
  
Then again, Harry knew a lot of things about his connection with Voldemort now and about his parents, but wouldn't Dumbledore have told him anyway? He doubted he would have, because it took him five years to tell Harry everything. Harry heard Uncle Vernon calling his name from the stairs. He quickly got up and walked over to the door.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We're leaving now."  
  
"All right, 'bye."  
  
"Remember, no funny stuff while we're gone."  
  
"Right."  
  
He walked downstairs and decided he would write to Ron and Hermione later. When the Dursleys pulled out of the driveway, he went into the kitchen to find something to eat. After cooking some soup he found in the cabinet he went into his bedroom to get his books, parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink so he could get a start on his homework.  
  
When he sat down in the kitchen and started flipping through his History of Magic book to look up the ban on flying carpets, there was a knock on the front door and he got up, curious of who would be knocking on his door at eight o'clock at night. His question was soon answered when he opened the door and came face-to-face with none other than Draco Malfoy. 


	2. The Warning

Summary: Harry Potter is about to start is sixth year at Hogwarts when a very unexpected someone shows up on his doorstep giving him warnings and asking him for help...  
  
A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter! *hugs* I really appreciate it! Curlycurlz; ERMonkey, Queen of Insanity; PadfootProngsMoony; godric1; leafs-gurl999; WriterChick2391; gboyary; jlfkjnsdkl (I'm sorry, but it's not going to be slash! I do hope you'll still continue reading!); AnimegirlH; Numba1; and Jarvey. Thanks, everyone! :)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. Harry Potter characters and things belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and some other companies I don't know the names of. The only things I own are the plot and anyone or anything or anyplace I make up.  
  
Harry Potter and the Torch of Light  
Chapter Two – The Warning  
  
"MALFOY?!" Harry yelled into the silent night.  
  
"Wow, nothing gets passed you." Malfoy said with a hint of sarcasm.  
  
"Bloody hell, what – how – why are you at my house?"  
  
"Let's skip the small talk, shall we?"  
  
"I want to know why you're at my house!"  
  
"Well, if you want to know, then let me in."  
  
Harry glared at him and pulled his wand from his pocket. "If you try anything, I'll make sure you regret ever walking through this door."  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes. Harry stepped aside so he could walk in. He walked inside, pulling his Hogwarts trunk in behind him. He led him into the kitchen where he had tried making a start on his homework. Harry gathered up his things and placed them on the counter, and sat back down across from where Malfoy had seated himself. There were a few moments of silence while the two exchanged menacing glares.  
  
Harry cleared his throat. "So, are you going to explain why you're here?" He asked, making an attempt to start conversation.  
  
"I've come to warn you." Malfoy said simply as if it were part of everyday conversation.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Warn you, Potter. Honestly, how idiotic are you?"  
  
"First of all, I'm not idiotic. Second of all, what are you warning me about, and why? If it risks my neck, why should you care?"  
  
"You know, I'm starting to regret coming here in the first place. It's already becoming a total waste of my time." Malfoy said impatiently.  
  
"All right, all right, just get to the point."  
  
"As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted," Malfoy smirked as Harry glared at him. "I've come to warn you, and ask you for your help."  
  
Harry stared at him in disbelief. Mafloy, his worst enemy, came here to do the two least expected things anyone could ever imagine; he was warning him, and asking him for help. This couldn't be right.  
  
"Before that whole Department of Mysteries episode took place, my father let something slip that he shouldn't have if he knew that I would be blabbing it to you while he's sitting in Azkaban having a jolly old time. I'm not good at making bad things sound better then they really are, so I'm just going to come right out and say it, I suppose." Harry saw his eyes quickly flicker to his right arm. "Voldemort has a plot to kill you, Potter, and you're in luck, because I know exactly what he's up to.  
  
"Voldemort's plan is not some dusty floor you're going to simply be able to sweep up with your broom. My father told me that if you have no idea about what's going to happen, you don't stand a chance, and you're surely to be killed. Believe me, Potter, I'm not as bad as you and your two side-kicks make me out to be. I'm not about to go and strut around Hogwarts, poking fun at you, while the plot of your murder is like a photograph glued in my mind."  
  
He stared at Malfoy in disbelief. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
Malfoy ignored him. "In June, Voldemort plans on murdering the Muggles you live with so you'll have nowhere to go. He plans on murdering those Muggles so you won't be safe. Voldemort will murder you as well."  
  
Harry began to open his mouth to speak but Malfoy beat him to it. "I know about the magic that protects you here, Potter, I figured it out ages ago. It was quite obvious, if you ask me. But the brilliant minds never go for the obvious solutions first, you know, so it took Voldemort years to finally work out the riddle." Malfoy glanced at his right shoulder again.  
  
He couldn't take it any longer. "Why do you keep looking at your right shoulder?" Harry hissed.  
  
Hesitating, Malfoy rolled up both of his sleeves, revealing nothing but skin. "I'd like to keep them like this, which is something you probably never would've known if I hadn't told you. So, I join your side and help fight Voldemort, and you help me by keeping the Dark Mark off my arm."  
  
Malfoy looked at Harry with a desperate look in his eyes. So he really didn't want to be a Death Eater? For some reason, he didn't find that hard to believe. Harry nodded and Malfoy pulled his sleeves back down.  
  
"We're not safe here, we need to leave now. Get your trunk and then we'll flag the Knight Bus down." Malfoy said quickly.  
  
They both stood up, and Harry nodded to show he understood. He walked over to the counter to retrieve his homework and books, and then hurried up the stairs to gather up his things, and once everything was packed, he changed into his solid, black Hogwarts robes. After Harry had his robes on, he draped his cloak over his shoulders, and then fastened the clasp in the front. Slipping his wand into the pocket of his robes, he grabbed his trunk and dragged it down the stairs.  
  
Malfoy looked up when he heard Harry coming, and opened the door. A light breeze flew past his cheeks and through his hair as they both headed towards the end of the street. Once they got there, Malfoy pulled out his wand and pointed up into the clear, night sky. The familiar rumble of the Knight Bus could be heard from a short distance away, and before it came into sight, Harry caught Malfoy's eye.  
  
Malfoy stuck his hand out, waiting for Harry to shake it. He held out his own hand, and they both shook hands as the Knight Bus came to a halt noisily in front of them. Before the doors opened, Malfoy opened his mouth to speak.  
  
"We're in this together, Potter," he said quietly but with confidence.  
  
"Together," Harry said, nodding.  
  
The doors to the Knight Bus opened, and Malfoy and Harry stepped on board, both wondering what deadly adventures this year was deciding to throw at them. 


End file.
